Film fans rejoice! It's been an exciting year of releases for Criterion, the primo purveyors of classic, foreign, and arthouse films. 2016 saw the release of much sought after cult flicks, bonafide classics dearly in need of restoration, as well as contemporary films that are poised to be classics in future years. This year's list of top ten selling Criterion Blu-rays features two films by American auteur Robert Altman and two by the acclaimed genre-satirists Joel and Ethan Coen. While the list was heavy on American films this year, there were, as you'd expect from Criterion, a few foreign pictures in there too.

Nick Ray's romantic noir remains one of the quintessential films about the gin-soaked underbelly of Hollywood. Humphrey Bogart, in one of his greatest performances, stars as a washed up screenwriter suspected of murder. Neighbor Gloria Graham backs his alibi, and in the process a romance develops between the two, only to be threatened by her suspicion that he may not be innocent after all. 2K digital restoration.

Starting next week, we're holding a huge sale on Criterion Collection movies at Amoeba Hollywood—from June 18 through July 4, get 25% off all new Criterion DVDs and Blu-rays. You can read more about that sale here. To kick it off, we gathered our collective heads to pick our favorite Criterion movies on disc. Criteria varies, but generally these discs offer something special beyond the movie itself. Check out our picks below.

Jean-Luc Godard’s French New Wave classic gets a pristine high-definition digital transfer on both the DVD and Blu-ray, while excerpts from the documentary La nouvelle vague par elle-mÃªme offer behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Godard. And a short film by the great French New Wave filmmaker Agnes Varda featuring much of the Band of Outsiders cast is just icing.

This month we’re holding a HUGE sale on all Criterion Collection movies.

From June 18 through July 4, get 25% off all new Criterion movies on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in-store at Amoeba Hollywood. And July 4 only, we’re also having another MEGA sale at all three stores—20% off all used Blu-ray and 10% off all used vinyl! (Used Blu-ray and Criterion discounts cannot be combined.)

To celebrate, we’re holding a FREE screening of Criterion flick Valerie and Her Week of Wonders Thursday, June 25 at 8 p.m. at Umami Burger, just across the street at Space15Twenty. Join us for this ravishingly shot, enchantingly scored film by director Jaromil Jires. This surrealist 1970 film is among the most beautiful oddities of the Czechoslovak New Wave, a fairy tale in which 13-year-old Valerie moves through a mind-bending dreamscape full of vampires, lustful priests and thieves wearing weasel masks.

Drinks may be purchased at Umami and enjoyed in the courtyard along with free popcorn. Space and seating is limited.

Need a suggestion for where to start with Criterion movies? Check out the Amoeba Hollywood mezzanine and marketing crew's 10 favorite Criterion picks.

It’s the holidays, and you’re strapped for time and money. What to do?! We’ve got you covered with 20 gift ideas for under 20 clams*. (*Amoeba does not accept clams as currency.)

Toys

Amoeba is full of toys from various TV shows, films, comic books and bands, including these POP! toys featuring Star Wars characters like Yoda; Game of Thrones characters like Tyrion Lannister and Jon Snow; Adventure Time characters like Fionna; Star Trek characters like Spock; and Guardians of the Galaxy characters like Rocket Raccoon.

Price: Toy prices vary, but POP! figurines are $12.98.

Skullcandy INK'D Headphones

We've got a variety of headphones, but these INK'D earbuds offer a lot of bang for your buck.

Criterion is, without a doubt, the most loved video-distribution company in the video distribution game. No one (outside Korea) packages their films so beautifully and today they released a lovely, book (just in time for Christmas) of their "covers, supplemental art, and never-before-seen sketches and concept art" featured on their releases over the years called Criterion Designs. They're also beloved for their supplemental special features, which are similarly rarely paralleled, and the high quality of their restorations. There are podcasts, and subreddits, and completists devoted to the label. My only problem with them is over the films which they release -- or rather, those that they don't.

Criterion was launched back in 1984, when Joe Medjuck, Aleen Stein, and Robert Stein founded the company in New York City. From the get go Criterion chose films from Europe, North America, and Asiafor their lovingly attentive treatment. I only became aware of the company around 1999. I recognized a lot of their films from introductory film school classes -- the canonical status of which was usually advertised by the stamp of Janus Films. At the same time, couldn't help but notice the glaring omission of ANY films from South America or Africa. When I pointed this out to Criterion loyalists and asked for their thoughts I got the following replies: "Do they make films?," "You mean like Tarzan?," and "You mean like Superfly?" My answers to all three were, "Are you *censored* kidding me?"